Flying Away
by Artiekins
Summary: Alfred is growing up. Arthur is sick of the injustice in his life. When a few words are whispered under baited breath, their future is decided. They are ready to fly away.


"Meet me at midnight."

"Okay... But what if I get caught?"

"Sh, you won't, don't worry... Just climb out of your window and you're home free."

The words were whispered so softly, so tenderly, that Alfred could barely believe they were real. His lips were dry, his hands soaked with sweat and tingling with anticipation, as he leaned in for one final kiss- or maybe just another of a many that were to come.

"Where should we meet?"

"At the treehouse."

A nervous glance over the shoulder. The slight shuffling of feet as the two secret lovers huddled close like a couple of penguins. They exchange another kiss, savouring the taste of each others lips.

"Should I bring anything?"

"Don't bring your whole house, Alfred. Just things that are important."

"Like..."

A soft sigh escaped Arthur's lips, his slender fingers tracing his other's jaw line.

"A bag of clothes, a cellphone, a notebook? I don't know, bring whatever you feel is right."

"Okay, okay, I gotcha..."

"And if you don't show up, I'm going to kick your ass into next Tuesday."

"Don't worry, I'll show!"

" Good. Our train leaves at 2:30 on the dot. That should give us enough time to walk over to the station, grab a bite to eat, and get comfortable."

They lingered close to each other, arms tangled and bodies pressed. Alfred rocked Arthur gently as he would a baby, resting his chin on the Briton's forehead. It was already late. He told his parents he would be home by 10. Out shopping, he had said. He would have to grab something on the way home...

"Okay, you should get going..." His lover seemed to read his mind. He always had a knack for doing that. They slowly, carefully, removed their limbs from each other, fearing that it was all a dream and that the other would suddenly melt into a puddle. Blue watched green and green watched blue as Alfred paced backwards towards the white fence. He only turned around when his back hit the wooden planks, painfully tearing his eyes away from those brilliant forest greens. Things would turn out alright. They had to.

For the following two hours, Alfred watched the clock like a guard dog. He fiddled with his sweatshirt strings one moment, the next pacing around his room, only to return to the edge of his bed. He would switch from strumming his guitar to tapping a beat on his desk with two pencils. From gazing with blank, tired eyes at his phone screen, to staring hard at the picture frame he kept on his nightstand. It was of him and his brother. Multiple times within that tense two hours did he think about his brother. His brother so many miles away. He hadn't seem him in a few months... Oh how he wished he had introduced him to Arthur... What would the timid little Canadian think?

That thought was one of many that Alfred decided to shrug off, to shove away into the back of his mind. He didn't want to know what anyone thought. He had made the tough decision to run off with Arthur, and he wasn't going to chicken out of it. The mature 19 year old knew what he was doing. And he himself was almost 18! Before his parents could figure out where he had gone, it would be his birthday. He just hoped to hell it wouldn't be too obvious...

Before the clock struck 12, he gave one last glance around his cozy little room. Sure, he would miss it. He saw it go through a lot. From dinosaurs, to trucks, to horses, to monsters, to hot girls and bands, and finally to an array of British-esque items. It had changed, and so had he. And anyway, why would it be such a big deal to run away with the one he loved?

A couple of neighborhoods away, Arthur sat in the same state as Alfred. Rocking back and forth in his unstable desk chair, the wooden legs squeaking in defiance, he chewed on the tips of his fingernails, eyes glued to the pair of train tickets that rest in front of him. That would be the last night he would spend in his house. The last time he would hear his alcoholic brother stumble through the door at 2 in the morning. The last time he would witness his mother cringe in fear as his filthy step-father dared to raise his hand at her. Hell, if he had the guts and a hard enough fist he would sock the man out before he left.

But there was still a little bubble of guilt that broiled in his stomach. And it grew in size as the minutes ticked by. What about his poor mother? Surely he would write to her. He was certain that even if he told her, she would only want the best for him. But Arthur felt bad. He was leaving her in this horrible environment... But it was his life now, and he needed to take control of it. And that started with taking his boyfriend of 4 years away, somewhere nice, where they could start a whole new chapter of both of their lives.

The two hours were the longest the two had ever experienced. But it finally came. Alfred packed up his things, eased open his window, and began to climb down, while Arthur prepared his own bag, stuffing the precious tickets into his back pocket. There was no turning back as both of them headed towards their childhood hangout; and as they came into view of each other, both of them smiled to themselves.

"Well, here we are," Arthur murmured, stopping just in front of his lover.

"Yeah, here we are," Alfred echoed, reaching out and taking the Brit's hands. They both watched each others' feet, too nervous, too queasy to make eye contact. "It'll be an adventure, right?"

"Right... It'll be fun. I know exactly where we can go. It's a nice little lake cottage down south."

"I know, Artie. You showed me pictures."

"I know, I know... I just want to keep saying it, so I know that it is true."

"Well, it is." Arthur was met by a breathtaking kiss, so gentle, so... Alfred. "Are we just gonna stand around here all day, or head out?" His lips curled into a smile. That dumb goofy smile that met the American's ears, showing off his slightly crooked but clean white teeth.

"Let's go, then, you impatient twit." The Brit gave his American boyfriend a gentle shove, which was returned in a loving hug. The intense atmosphere dissolved at that point, as they gripped each others hands and headed down the sidewalk.

And away they flew into the night.


End file.
